1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof camera cover, and to a waterproof camera that uses this waterproof camera cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
A waterproof camera cover is disclosed in patent publications 1 and 2 below.
The cover disclosed in patent publication 1 makes a camera waterproof by fixing a camera cover to a camera using a ring that is fitted onto the camera. With this cover, however, since a ring is used there is a problem in that the operation of removing the cover from the camera is troublesome. Also, with this technology there is a constraint in that it is necessary for the camera to be formed in accordance with the fitting of the ring. Also, in FIG. 7 of patent publication 1, a structure is disclosed that makes a camera waterproof by covering the whole of the front of a compact camera, having a flash unit on the same body surface as a lens, with flat transparent resin. However, if the entire front of the camera is covered by flat transparent resin, light from the flash unit advances inside the transparent resin, and is reflected at an inner surface of the transparent resin, and it is easy for this light to irradiate inside the lens. If this happens, there is the drawback that the danger of deterioration in photographic quality is high.
The cover disclosed in patent publication 2 has a case formed of a flexible body of polystyrene resin or the like divided in two, and a camera is made waterproof by closing the case after stowing the camera inside. Also, waterproofing is imparted to the joint sections of the divided case by fitting a ring to the joint of the case that has been divided in two.
However, with this technology, there are problems such as (1) the operation of removing the ring is troublesome, (2) operability for operating the camera via the case is bad, and (3) if specialized machining is carried out on the case in order to improve operability of the camera, the cost of the case becomes high.
Patent Publication 1
    Japanese patent laid-open No. Sho. 52-2521Patent Publication 2    Japanese patent laid-open No. Hei. 11-65027